Shark Fishing Gear: A historical review by Mary Hayes Wagner UNITED 5T ATE5 DEPART MENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE BUREAU OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES Circular 238 KITED TATES DEPARTl\1ENT OF THE INTERIOR Stewart L. Udall, Secretary John A. CHlTl'r, Jr., Under Secretary Stnnley .\.. ClUB, .1ssistallt Secretary for Fi.~ h and Wildlife and Parks FISH L D WILDLIFE SERVICE, Clarence F. Paut~ke, Commissioner BURf.A OF l'O~I,a;RCI!,L Fr RERIES, Donald L. 'McKernan, Directo r Shark Fishing Gear: A historical review• By Mary Hayes Wagner CIRCULAR 238 Washington, D.C. January 1966 CONTENTS Page IntroductIon ....... General considerations in shark fishing 1 1ethods of fishing for sharks. 2 GIll nets .... 2 Hook and line. 5 Anchored bottom lines. 6 Rope or cable mainlmes 6 Chain mamlmes . 8 Floating longline s ... 10 The benthic line for deepwater fishing 12 References .................... 14 iii . Shark Fishing Gear: A historical review By MARY HAYES WAGNER, Biologist Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Ichthyological Field Station Stanford, California INTRODUCTION In this account the descriptions of the gear and accessory equipment, and suggestions for Shark fisheries developed rapidly in the fishing methods and bait, are sImplified and United States between 1935 and 1950, when basic. Advances since 1950 in gear for other there was considerable demand for vitamin A fisheries might be incorporated into methods from natural sources chiefly for the fortifica­ for shark fishing; experimentation can un­ tion of poultry feedstuffs. Not only did these doubtedly improve gear efficiency. For in­ fisheries flourish in the Caribbean Sea, off stance, fishing with baited hooks on anchored Florida, and in the Gulf of Mexico, but prices bottom lines was more effective and cost little for high-potency shark-liver oil made fishing more in 1950 than fishing with the penshable for soupfin shark (Galeorhinus zyopterus) off cotton-twine gill nets then available. Now, the the Pacific coast so profitable that the species introduction of synthetic twine, improvements was threatended with extinction. The demand in gear for handling large nets, and the higher for vitamin A also greatly increased use of price of bait used with anchored bottom lines, livers from the spiny dogfish (Sgualus indicate a need to reassess the merits of the acanthias) of the northeastern Pacific and two types of fishing gear for large sharks. from many other species from other areas. Because few U.S. vessels have fished for Although interest in shark fishing has con­ sharks during the last 15 years, sources of tinued in the United States, the successful information on shark fishing and gear are production of synthetic vitamin A in 1950 limited to a few publications not now readily forced the abandonment of most U.S. shark available. These publications are listed in the fishing. After the fishery diminished, reports last section of this circular and are identified of damage by sharks to fishing gear and to the in the text by author and year of publication. In fish caught in nets increased. Although damage addition, some of the information in this re­ occurs irregularly and varies greatly in in­ port is based on personal correspondence. tensity, it has recently become a serious The gear used for the capture oflarge sharks problem to the U.S. trawl fishery, the purse is the primary concern of this report. Small seine fishery for tuna, the Florida fishery for sharks (such as the spiny dogfIsh, Squalus Spanish mackerel, and the shrimp fishery. acanthias) that travel in schools are easily P resent evidence indicates that the revival of caught in large numbers by otter trawls. Be­ commercial shark fishing is the most practical cause fishing for these small species is with way to reduce shark damage. This circular, standard fishing gear, the reader is referred an account of methods of shark fishing formerly to Knake (1958) for an account of otter trawl used in the United States and still in use in operation and to Alverson and Stansby (1963) many parts of the world, has been prepared to for a discussion of fishing for spiny dogfish encourage the reestablishment of commercial in the northeastern Pacific. shark fishing in U.S. waters. Shark fishing is currently carried on in GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS IN Mexico, Australia, Japan, Denmark, and Nor­ SHARK FISHING way. The present procedures are not standard­ Fishing methods must be adapted to the ized, however, because shark fishing in many fishing locality. Weather and sea conditlOns areas has not been practiced l. ong enough for affect the choice of the vessel and limit the the methods to become permanently estab­ kinds of gear that are practical. Other factors lished. For example, gill nets were originally that determine the gear are: the nature of the used in the Mexican fishery at Tres Marias bottom in the fishing area; the species and (pe rsonal communication, Stewart Springer), abundance of sharks available; local costs of but it was found that the nets were effective gear and labor; and the value of the products only at certain times of the year and that at the point of sale. It is not possible to de­ larger and more varied areas could be fished velop general rules for shark fishing because productively with the seasonal use of floating each situation demands tnal and error in the longlines. Moreover, the initial phase of ex­ selection of the appropnate gear and method. ploitation by shark fisheries frequently re­ Fishing gear is selective for particular sults in a depletion of shark populations neces­ species or sizes of sharks. On the southern sitating a change from one gear method to Florida coast, for example, gill nets are ef­ another. fective seasonally in shallow water for nurse shark s (Gingl ymostoma) and for sand tigers becomes t h e center of a region of terminal (C a r charias ) , whereas baited hooks take but few migrati on for tropical shark populations. of the s e s h ark s in t h at area. Conversely, tiger Sale rno, on the east coast of Florida (fig. 2), sharks (Galeocerdo) in the same area are was formerly t h e site of successful shark more readily taken on baited hooks than innets. fishin g t h at w as most productive during the In general, the s imple hand line is the only wint er and spring wh en species of large sharks practical gear fo r one or two men fishing from migratin g to inshore waters along the At­ a small dinghy. Nets are fe a sibl e for larger lantic coast w ere concentrated on the Con­ scale fishing only. T he anch ored bottom line (a tinental Sh elf. The shelf narrows abruptly line that is dis tinguis h ed from the floating long­ near Salerno. line in that it i s always anch ored) with a Commercial fis hing of any k ind i s hazardous, minimum of 100 hooks was formerl y the most but shark fishing' h as some special dangers. successful method fo r t akin g l arge sharks, and For example, anc h ored bottom lines of chain, may be used by a sufficiently l arge boat and a w i re rope or e v en m anila rope are much crew of at least t hree men. Oth er factors t hat heavier than the s t andard tuna l ongline gear affect the rate of capt u r e o f s h ark s on lines and are a serious threat to fishermen, who are the types of hooks u sed (fig . 1) and thei r c ould be caught accid entally by the hooks and condition (hooks should be clean and highly c arried overboard. Moreov er, l arge h eavy polished), the kinds of bait, the d i stance be ­ sharks often remain alive for sev eral minutes tween set lines, and t he dir ect i on s of t h e sets after being brought abo a rd; t h e ir snapping jaw s and tidal currents . with razor-sharp teeth must be avoided. R ea­ sonable safety precaut ions sav e time and ex­ pense. A large shark can be h o i sted easily onto the deck of a vessel with var i ous rigs, but be­ cause sharks may be active, SO Ine routines are Inuch safer than others . Shooting of sharks i s especially undesir able i n cOInIne rcial fishing because of the added danger and cost. If it is not practical to drop t he s harks into a hold below the deck, a section of the dec k separated froIn the working a rea by pen boards is excel­ lent (fig. 3). METHODS OF FISHING FOR SHARKS Types of shar k -fi shin g gear (aside froIn trawling rigs) can be g rouped into five general categori es: gill n ets, hook and line, anchored B c bottoIn lines (differing froIn the floating long­ l ines in that t hey a r e a lways anchored), float­ in g longlines, and t he benthic line for deep­ O~' ____~ __~f I N C HES water fishing. Ancho red bottoIn lines are often Figure l.--Shark fishing hooks. A. Type used with heavy called longline s, but a d i stinc tion is Inade he re gear, such as anchored bottom lines. B. Japanes e­ becau se the t wo t ypes of gear are used in style hook for floating longline. C. Japanese circle entirely different ways. It is of histori c hook recommended for bo ttom longlines set in deep interest that t he flo at ing long line as an iIn­ water.